Manchester United captain Harry Maguire is unlikely to be fit for next week’s Europa League final against Villarreal, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Friday.
The 28-year-old central defender is making progress in recovering from an ankle injury he suffered against Aston Villa earlier this month and was pictured walking without crutches on Thursday.
However, Solskjaer was downbeat about his chances of being fit for the match against the Spanish side in the Polish city of Gdansk on Wednesday.
“He’s walking but it’s a long way from walking to running so, to be honest, I don’t think we’ll see him in Gdansk, no,” the Norwegian said.
“But, as I’ve said so many times, I’m going to give him until Tuesday night, the last training session, and see if he can try to be out there.
“Steadily but surely he’s improving but ligaments, they take time to heal.”
United’s defence has looked shaky in Maguire’s absence — they have lost two and drawn one of their past three Premier League games.
Solskjaer will give Maguire up to the last minute to prove his fitness and expects the defender to play an important role off the field if, as expected, he does not make it.
grab chance of top finish
Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool have their destiny “in our hands” as they seek to end a disappointing season on a high by finishing in the top four of the Premier League.
The deposed champions are battling with Chelsea and Leicester for the two remaining slots in next season’s Champions League.
Klopp’s men are level on points with Leicester but their goal difference is superior, meaning all the Reds have to do at home to Crystal Palace is match the Foxes’ result against Tottenham.
Third-placed Chelsea, one point clear of Liverpool and Leicester, travel to face mid-table Aston Villa.
“We just found stability, created confidence again or got it back, and scored goals in the right moments and conceded less, let me say it like this,” Klopp said on Friday.
“It was a strange season, nothing will change that,” he added. “It was an incredibly intense season, nothing will change that. But we have it now in our hands to make a top, top finish of the season.”